Means for producing periodic or alternating currents and controlling



P. C. HEWITT. MEANS FOR ERO'DUCING PERIODIC 0R ALTERNATING CURRENTS ANDCONTROLLING .THE FREQUENCY OF THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1914.

1,321,437. Patnted Nov. 11, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

5 K i c (46" W/T/VZ'SSES [III/TOR P. C. HEWITT. MEANS FOR PRODUCINGPERIODIC 0R ALTERNATING CURRENT'S AND CONTROLLING THE FREQUENCY OF THESAME. APPLICATION FILED MAY [2 I914- Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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C 0R ALTERNATING CURRENTS THE FREQUENCY OF THE SAME.

I APPLICATION FILED MAYIZ. I914.

MEANS FOR PRODUCING PERIODI AND CONTROLLING Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

WITNESSES A TTOR/VEY UNITED STATES IEQTENT orrrcn.

PETER COOPER HEW! OF RINGWOOD MANOR, NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR PBDDU'CING PERIODIC B ALTEBNA-TING GUBRENTS AND CONTROLLING-THE FBEQUENGY OF SAME.

1,321,431 Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented Nov, 11 1919,

Application filed Kay 12, 1914. Serial No. 838,037. I

To all whom it may concern: fl0W.- 17 is a condenser, 18 an inductance,

Be it known that I, Pn'rnn Coornn HBW-- and W indicates the workcircuit. 6 is a I'm, a citizen of the United States, residing cylinderof metal, or other body having caat Ringwood Manor, in the'county ofPaspacity, surrounding the tube near the negasaic and State of NewJersey, have inventtive electrode and connected with the posi- 60 edcertain new and useful Improvements in tive lead. 7 is a wire, or otherbody having Means for Producing Periodic or Altercapacity, located nearthe: positive electrode nating Currents and Controlling the Freandconnected to the negative lead. quency of the Same, of which the follow-I have succeeded in. keeping a mercury I in is a SPBClfiCtLtlOII. tubeof the form shown in the drawings, in 65 y present invention relates tomethods such system as is there shown, in continued of and means forproducing periodic or aloperation as an oscillation producer whenternating currents and controlling the freall static or other extraneouseffects were quency of the same. removed. But, when a body or shieldhav- I have discovered that the ability of a gas ing 'c'apacity'isplaced in the neighborhood 70 or vapor tube which is kept constantly ofthe tube, it is easy to start and maintain alive or in an ionizedcondition, as it such tube in operation as an oscillation prois called,to produce, inconnection with a ducer. Besides, the rate of oscillation,and circuit containing inductance and capacity, other characteristics ofthe current, may be high frequency periodic or alternating curwidelychanged by causing such body to ap- 75 rents is greatly augmented bysubjecting the proach toward or recede from the tube, or

space between the electrodes to the influence by moving such body up ordown the tube,

,of a. body statically charged or possessing 'or by increasing thecapacity of such body, capacity, and that the frequency of such or bysubjecting the space between the eleccurrents, or other characteristics,may be trodes to the effect of another body having 80 readily variedthereby. In other words,- I capacity. Similar effects are produced if anhave discovered that, if a body having cainsulatedmetal rod be moved upand down pacity, is-located in the neighborhood of the the reentrantspace within the tube, or if a y stream of current flowing through sucha rod connected with the main line be move tube, not only will the tubeperform its up and down, or if the capacity of said rod 85 functions asa frequency producer, but the is increased by touching said rod.

rate of oscillation; and other characteris- My discoveries may \beembodied in a tics, of the curren may be readily changed great varietyof forms, one of which is within wide limits. I have further disshown inFig. 1 of the drawings. Here a covered that the characteristics of thecurcapacity device 6' in the form of a metal 90 rent can be definitelychanged 'by definite cylinder shown surrounding the tube near changes inthe size, location or proximity the negative'electrode and this isconnected of said capacity device or devices, and by with the positivelead. Also a capacity dedefinitely determining or definitely changvicein the form of a rod or wire located in ing the polarity of saidcapacity device or the rentrant-portion of the tube near the 95 devices.positive end is shown attached to the nega- In the accompanyingdrawings:- tive lead. In such a device, by making and Figure 1 shows anarra gement embodybreaking contact between a body having caing mypresent invention. pacity (such as the earth, for example) and Figs. 2and 3 show other arrangements the metal cylinder 6, the rate ofoscillation 1 embodying my present invention. a may be changed from onedefinite time Referring to the drawings: period to another definite timeperiod. Any

1 is a mercury vapor tube. 2 is the main other suitable means may beused to impositive electrode and 3 the negative elecpress on the currentstream the influence of trode. 10 is an auxiliary. or keep aliveneighboring capacity, or to ncrease or 'deelectrode included in anindependent circuit crease such influence. In Fig. 2 there are 12 havinga wire 24 extending above thesur- I located two metal tubes 20 and 21 onthe face of the mercury to anchor the active outside connected with theposit1ve lead an point. The tube has a reentrant portion 4 two metaltubes 22 and 23 located in the re- 55 forming an annular space 5 for thecurrent entrant portion also connected. with the positive lead. In Fig.3 a plain cylindrical tube of relatively small diameter is shown, havingcapacity bands or cylinders surrounding ithe same, both connected to thepositive ead.

While I have shown herein only mercury vapor tubes, it will beunderstood that any other analogous gas, or vapor, or evacuated tube maybe employed.

Since the gas or vapor tube is constantly kept alive; or, in otherwords, since the negative electrode is constantly kept in activecondition; it is evident that the desired oscillations are produced bythe reactions at the positive electrode or in the gas or vapor path, orboth. In other words, the reac tions availed of are those which relateto the startin of current flow in a tube which is constantly kept alive,or in which the negative electrode resistance to starting is an nulledor kept at a low value. These reactions are variously influenced by thesurrounding and internal conditions of static charge or capacity and maybe made either to increase or decrease the normal resistance tostarting. Changes of these conditions bring about changes in the actionof the device and, in this way, its action is, or may be, controlled andmade definite. It is evident that a proper coordination of the action ofthese forces will contribute to bring about the most uniform action and,having established such coordination, any desired arrangement thereofmay serve as a useful agent of control, when such control is desirable.

The term gas or vapor tube as used in these specifications and in theclaims is intended to include all formsof devices which are theequivalent of a mercury tube for the purposes of this invention,irrespective of the contents of the tube (if it be a tube), andirrespective of the means employed to keep the negative electrode alive,or to keep the resistance to starting at the negative electrode at a lowvalue. The term, therefore, as used may include, for example, a tubeexhausted to any degree, or a suitable current flow in air or other gas,and may include a device in which the negative elec: trode is keptconstantl alive, or inwhich the resistance to starting at the negativeelectrode is maintained at a low value, by being highly heated; and mayinclude an; path between electrodes controlled mechanically orelectrically, where the resistance to starting at the negative electrodeis maintained at a low value.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis 1. The combination with a gas or vapor device, of means forestablishing periodic current flow therethrough, and means for modifyingsuch flow comprising independent capacity sources located respectivelyin proximity to the positive and negative electrodes and respectivelyconnected elect-r1- cally With the leads to the remote electrodes.

2. The combination with a gas or vapor device for producing periodiccurrents, of means for augmenting the normal characteristics thereofconsisting of an'electrical conductor located adjacent to the currentpath between the electrodes of the device and adjpstable along thelength of said current p 3. The combination with a gas or vapor deviceand means for sustaining periodic or rapidly varying current flowtherethrough, of an intensifyin device comprising an element havingelectrical capacity located in proximity to the current path andreceiving charges of opposite sign from that of the adjacent electrode.

4. The method of controlling the rate of current variation in anelectriccircuit ineluding a gas or vapor device of the character describedproducing periodic currents, which consists in impressin upon the gas orvapor path a field of force, and independently c anging said forcecoincidently with changes in the potential .difierence at the terminalsof the device.

5. The method of controlling the rate of current variation in anelectric circuit including a gas or vapor device of the characterdescribed producing periodic currents, which consists in creatingvariations in said circuit, impressing upon the gas or vapor path afield of force from without the gas or vapor path, and changing suchforce coincidently with changes in the device.

6. The combination with a suitable source of current of a condenser, anda gas or vapor tube connected in parallel, and means for impressingcapacity effects on the tube 'between the electrodes, said meanscomprising independent conductors located between the positive andnegative ends of the tube, and connected to the current supply.

7. The combination with a suitable source of current of a condenser anda gas or vapor tube connected in parallel, and an external elementhaving electrical capacity attached to the negative lead and locatednear the positive end of the tube.

8. The combination with a suitable source of current of a condenser anda gas or vapor tube connected in parallel, and an external elementhaving electrical capacity attached to the positive lead and locatednear the negative end of the tube, and a conducting substance attachedto negative lead and located near the positive end of the tube.

9. The combination with a gas or vapor device for producing periodiccurrents, of means for augmenting the normal characteristics thereof,consisting of an electrical conductor located adjacent to the currentpath between the electrodes of the device and electrically connected inthe system of the gas or vapor device. 1

10. The combination with a gas or vapor device having a constantlyactive cathode, of means for establishing periodic currentfiowtherethrough, and means for modifying such flow comprising independentcapacity sources located respectively in proximity to the positive andnegative electrodes and re spectively connected electrically with theleads to the remote electrodes.

11. The combination with a gas or vapor device having a constantlyactive cathode and for producing periodic currents, of means foraugmenting the normal characteristics thereof, consisting of anelectrical conductor located adjacent to the current path between theelectrodes of the device and electrically connected in the system of thegas or vapor device. e

12. The combination with a gas or vapor device having a. constantlyactive cathode and means for producing periodic currents, of means foraugmenting the normal characteristics thereof, consistingof an externalelement having electrical capacity located adjacent to the current pathbetween the electrodes of the device.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

PETER COOPER HEWITT.

Witnesses:

L. A. CoLEMaN, R. A. HEWITT.

